Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunday Wanderings

This Sunday was a gorgeous day - mid 70's, very difficult to leave the house, the finches, and the pool-whose-water-is-getting-warmer-and-warmer. It was one of those Arizona, azure skies. Unbeatable. but I hit the road anyway, and just sort of went where my nose led me.....

Antigone Book Store, 4th Avenue, Tucson Since it's Sunday, Antigone didn't open until 11, so I got back in the car and decided to head downtown to the Il Tiradito Shrine. To my disappointment, the roads were blocked today for some sort of Tucson bicycle extravaganza, Cyclovia, so that was out. Ah well, another Sunday. Back to Antigone. Today was their party to celebrate being the first bookstore in America to be 100% solar powered. Now THAT's pretty cool. I love this bookstore. It's quite difficult to describe. Artsy. Loads and loads of cutting edge new books, including kid's and kid's poetry. More journal than I've ever seen together in one place, and some of the most clever - and unusual - greeting cards anywhere. Music. Gifts...out-of-the ordinary, nothing "usual." Tee shirts. Very back-to-the-earth-y and environmentally friendly. They have a parking area for customers, too, so I've never found it difficult to find a parking place.

San Xavier del Bac, Tohono O'odham Reservation, a breath south of Tucson on Mission Road (or I-19) The White Dove of the Desert. I love this place....at least, when it's not overcrowded with tourists, like it was today. Note to self: Do NOT go to San Xavier on a Sunday in March. Huge crowds. People would smash into y ou for a parking place. Save this trip for a different time of year or day of the week. It was still lovely to look at, but I high-tailed it out of there pretty fast. I went north on Mission Road instead of getting back onto I-19 and headed up for Gates Pass and the west side of Tucson, Super Saguaro Country.

Tucson Mountain Park, on the west side of Tucson It's hard to say whether there's a more beautiful desert drive than through Gates Pass and north or south on Kinney Road. The thickest stand of saguaros anywhere, orange-tipped ocotillos, teddy bear cholla, sentinel-peaked mountains, clear azure sky. Oh my, oh my, oh my. Breathtaking. And this place is my HOME now, I'm not even a tourist. That's why I have to take advantage , right?

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